RUM-AISSANCE
A rum boom has been predicted for many years—but this time it’s real. The fourth-bestselling spirit in America by volume—behind vodka, whiskey and tequila—rum is often disparaged for being inexpensive to produce (it’s distilled from sugarcane juice or molasses) and because the rules of production vary wildly by country. That’s changing now as premiumization is elevating the category, with some aged releases costing upward of $1,000. As Ian Burrell, known as the global ambassador for rum, notes, “Collectors are also investing in rare rums, driving up prices.” New brands such as Equiano (the first Afro-Caribbean blend, cofounded by Burrell) and Ten to One (a mix of several Caribbean rums backed by pop star Ciara) are producing rums meant to be sipped and savored like the finest whiskies. If pirates had one of these bottles, a dead man’s chest wouldn’t be their only treasure.